


Lessons in Hair Care

by VolsungartheMighty



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Liam has long hair, M/M, Theo has heart eyes for Liam, Thiam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 18:50:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17289473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolsungartheMighty/pseuds/VolsungartheMighty
Summary: Liam has let his hair grow out since everything with the Anukite, but hasnt taken care of it. His end of year exams havent helped either, and it takes Lydia, and his mother, to show him how to care for his hair properly. But even more so, is the wandering eyes of a certain chimera.





	Lessons in Hair Care

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a live fic way back in October, and i have only just finished it, so i'm sorry to those of you who have been waiting on it.

Theo never thought he had a thing for hair.

It was messy, got in the way. He always cut it short, when he could. He’d hated those days when he’d been living out of his car, not only because he’d been homeless, but because he’d been unable to afford even a simple haircut.

When Liam had confronted him about his homelessness, he’d been on the verge of hacking it off with a knife. And then Jenna had been kind enough to cut his hair for him once he’d moved in, and he couldn't have been happier.

Well, he could have been. If only he’d had the courage to ask a certain beta out on a date.

He always had a laugh when it came to that. He’d been able to break up the McCall pack, and killed a few of his own pack members for their powers without batting an eye. And while he was now remorseful for his actions in the past, he still thought it had been easier than plucking up the courage to ask Liam out.

Right now, though, Theo couldnt keep his eye off of Liam. Not that it was hard, the boy was mesmerising. But Theo hadnt noticed until now how  _ long _ Liam had grown his hair out until now.

The pack had gathered at the McCall house when the older pack members had returned during a break in classes. Theo had, of course, driven Liam there, and had originally been intending on going someplace else before having to pick Liam up. But Liam had been insistent that he join them, believing that Theo would be welcome.

As expected, he hadnt been. Stiles had immediately asked why the ‘murderous chimera’ was there, as if his months of helping the pack, risking his life and saving theirs meant nothing. Malia had simply snarled at him, baring her fangs in a vicious look, before stalking off. Scott, at least, had been able to hide his feelings behind a smile, welcoming him to join them, though his chemo signals told Theo that even Scott didnt want him here.

It hurt, of course, but he supposed that was what he deserved after what he’d done.

So he’d gone and sat himself in a corner, soon joined by Mason and Corey. They managed to drag him out of his slump, pulling him into a conversation about their up coming college applications.

“Liam, what have you been doing with your hair?” Theo heard Lydia saying not long after.

He eyed the two of them from where he sat, Lydia with her hands on her hip, Liam with a look akin to terror on his face. Theo snorted, shaking his head. Of course, the beta with anger issues would attack the Beast of Geveaudan head on by himself, but when faced with Lydia, he was frozen in terror.

“What do you mean?” He finally managed to stutter out, taking a half step back.

“I mean, why havent you been styling it?” Lydia asked, stepping forward and pulling the hood of Liam’s jumper off. His hair, bunched up and hidden underneath, fell out in a tangled mess, hanging just past his shoulders. “How have you let it get this bad?”

“I havent exactly had the time to do anything with it” Liam said, somewhat shyly.

“Well, i think you are in serious need of help” she said, tutting softly under her breath. She looped their arms together, dragging the spluttering werewolf across the yard and over to where Theo was sitting. She sat Liam down in a free seat, telling him to stay, before walking off and into the house.

“She is scary” Liam said softly, eyeing Theo with a wide eyed look.

Theo just smiled at Liam knowingly, shaking his head as Lydia returned with her handbag, rummaging through its contents. She pulled out a hair brush, a few hair ties wrapped around the handle, before sitting in the seat next to Liam, turning him so his back was to her.

“Lydia, you really dont need to do this” Liam said in a last ditch attempt to stop her.

But the blond shook her head, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she assessed the situation.

“Oh, i really do” she said, her eyes glinting with a ferocity that scared Theo.

Liam really should be glad he was in her good books.

She started with the mess of knots and tangles at the base, each run of the brush through the knots eliciting a yelp of pain from Liam. Soon, the whole pack was watching them as Lydia ran her brush through the knots, untangling them and smoothing the mess out.

They sat there for a quarter of an hour, Liam yelping in pain as the brush pulled on a knot in his hair. By the time they were done, Liam’s hair seemed to flow down past his shoulders like a sheet, and looked soft and smooth to the touch.

“You really should be brushing this at least once a day Liam” Lydia was saying, bunching the hair up . She held the gathered bundle in one hand, pulling a hair tie off the brush with the other, before stretching it over, twisting it and repeating the action a few more times until she was happy. “Your mother would be ashamed of you, you know that right?”

“Yeah, yeah, i know” Liam said, reaching up to poke at the bun his hair was now in.

Lydia slapped his hands away, poking his nose and glaring at him. “Your mother isnt one of the best hair dresser in town for no reason Liam. If you need help taking care of your hair, you can always ask her for help.”

“Okay, i’ll keep that in mind” Liam said, reaching up and patting the bun. Lydia didnt bat his hands away this time, a smile on her face. “Does it have to be this tight?”

“Until you ask Jenna for help, yes” Lydia said, placing the hair brush back into the confines of her hand bag. “And if i find out your not looking after it, i’ll be the one giving you a buzz cut, you understand?”

Liam gulped audibly, nodding his head in understanding. She smiled again, before leaving him alone with Theo.

“That was slightly terrifying” Liam said in a whisper, shaking his head.

Theo could only smile. His eyes never left Liam after that, and he couldnt help but think Liam looked amazing with his hair in a bun.

***

“Mum, could you help me with something?” Liam asked, a couple days after the pack gathering.

“Of course honey, what can i help you with?” Jenna asked, setting down her book, crossing her legs beneath her.

“This might sound weird, but could you show me how to braid my hair?” Liam asked, sitting down beside her.

“It’s not weird honey” Jenna said softly, smiling at Liam. “But why the sudden change of heart?”

“Lydia got furious that i wasnt taking care of my hair the other day” Liam said, not looking up at his mother. “She brushed out a heap of knots and untangled it, before putting it up in a bun. And… she said it would be good if i started styling my hair properly.”

“Ah, i see” Jenna said, wrapping one arm around Liam’s shoulders, hugging him into her side. “So what’s the problem then?”

“I tried looking up some videos on the internet, and… well, they were just too complicated. And too fast. I couldnt get my fingers to move quick enough” Liam said.

“Oh, thats okay” Jenna said, smiling warmly at him. “I’ll teach you as much or as little as you want.”

“Thanks mum” Liam said, hugging her tightly, before pulling back.

“So, how do you want it to look?” Jenna asked, eyeing him critically.

“Well… i dont know how to explain it” Liam said, scratching the back of his head. “But i found this guy on instagram who does some pretty cool looking hair styles, and thought one of them would be interesting to try.”

“Okay, so, have you got a photo of him so i can give it a try” Jenna asked, holding her hand out.

Liam pulled his phone out, opening up his instagram and pulling up the photo he liked, before handing it over. She looked over the photo with a curious eye, before eyeing Liam’s hair.

“Your hair certainly isnt as long as his” she said, running her fingers through Liam’s hair. “But i can certainly give it a try Go into the bathroom, and bring in a bar stool from the kitchen to sit on. If you want to learn how to do it, it’s good if you watch.”

She got up from the couch, walking out of the room. Liam stood, walking into the kitchen and grabbing a barstool, before making his way into the guest bathroom, setting the stool down in front of the mirror and sitting down on it. Jenna entered the room a moment later with a leather bag and a packet of hair ties. She set the two items down on the counter, before standing behind Liam, slowly running her fingers through his hair

“When was the last time you washed your hair?” she asked, a serious look on her face.

“Ah… this morning” Liam said.

“Good, we don't need to wash it again” she said, opening the bag and pulling out a brush. “But first, we have to brush it.”

Liam turned around, his back facing Jenna, as she slowly passed the brush through his hair, untangling any knots and smoothing it out. Once she was done, she set the brush down, pulling a comb out of the bag.

“So, first thing first, we’re going to part it” she said, combing his hair to the side, pulling the hair on the top of his head back and into bun. “You see here, how i’ve got the sides separated from the top. You’ll want to start like this.”

Liam nodded his understanding, before Jenna moved on.

“Next, you want to grab a bunch like this” she said, pulling a thick bit of hair  out to the side. She looked at the photo on Liam’s phone, arching an eyebrow, before nodding her head.”I’m gonna say that you should do it like this” she said, pulling out a few more strands and twisting them, pulling in more hair the further back along his head that she went. “You want to keep this bit nice and tight as you tie it together.”She brushed her fingers through the strands behind his ear. “Leave these for now, you don’t need to worry about them just yet.”

Liam nodded, watching with bright eyes as she worked her way through his hair, braiding it and tying it all together. She finished one side, before moving to the other, repeating the same actions she had on the other side. Silence filled the room as she slowly braided Liam’s hair.

“So… what's suddenly made you want to style your hair?” Jenna asked after a moment, looking Liam in the eye through the reflection in the mirror.

“Do i need a reason to start looking after it?”

“No, you dont” Jenna said with a smile. “But i also know you. I’ve been trying to convince you to at least do something with it, and you never listened. And then all of a sudden you come home one day after being with the pack, and you want to style it? It’s a little telling, isn't it?”

“Telling of what?” Liam asked, trying, and failing to hide the blush creeping over his cheeks.

“Well, i figured you might have had a crush on someone” Jenna said with a laugh. “And i wanted to ask who it is.”

“I dont know what your talking about” Liam said, a little too fast to be believable.

“Admit it, you have a crush on someone” Jenna said, smacking him lightly on the shoulder. “So, who is it? Boy or girl?”

Liam ducked his head, trying to hide the smile that tugged at his lips. 

“There’s no crush mum” Liam said, shaking his head lightly. “Only Lydia and how terrifying she can be.”

Jenna frowned, almost as if she were disappointed.

“If you’re sure” she said, almost sceptically. “I figured you'd be a little more terrified of me than of Lydia.”

“Have you seen Lydia when she has her mind set on something mum?” Liam asked, turning in his seat to look at her properly. “She’s a force to be reckoned with.”

Jenna nodded, finishing up with the side she was working on before starting with the top, making two braids that she pulled back, pinning them in place. She kept them loose enough to move, but tight enough so that they stayed in place.

She took one last look at the photo on Liam's phone, before nodding. “That should be about it. I just don't have the hair jewelry for you to put in, so this is the best i can do.”

Liam smiled, admiring the way his hair was styled in an intricate weave of braids and loose hair. It was, supposedly, meant to look similar to something a viking warrior would have worn. He turned, bringing his mum into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

“Thank you mum, this looks amazing” Liam said, squeezing her tighter, before letting go. “Your amazing.”

“I’m always happy to help you Liam” Jenna said, placing a kiss to the side of his head. “If you need some help in the future with more styles, you can always ask.”

“Okay mum” Liam said with a smile.

He picked up the barstool, taking it back out to the kitchen while Jenna cleaned up what mess they had made. He was pulling out a bottle of orange juice from the fridge and pouring himself a drink when he heard the front door open, followed by a familiar heartbeat.

“Hey Theo” Liam called out, drinking a mouthful of juice, setting the empty glass down. “How was your exam?”

“It was easier than i expected” Theo said, his voice distant. Liam heard him taking off his shoes and hanging up his jacket before walking down the short hall and into the kitchen. “It wasn't as bad as they…”

Theo froze mid sentence, staring at Liam as if he were some alien.

“Theo...is everything okay?” Liam asked, hesitantly walking across the kitchen to stand across from Theo.

“What...what’s with...this?” He asked, motioning to Liam’s hair.

“Uh...nothing, really” Liam said. “Do you...not like it?”

Theo reached up, tentatively stroking the braids along the side of Liam’s head. “It’s amazing Liam” Theo said, almost as if in awe. “Did you do it yourself?”

Liam scoffed, shaking his head as his cheeks flush. “No...the videos were too difficult to follow. I had to get mum to show me.”

“And there’s nothing wrong with that Li” Theo said softly, cupping Liam’s jaw in one hand. He hesitated, a confused, almost conflicted look crossing over his face. “Is...is it okay if i…”

He trailed off, silence filling the space between them.

“If you..what T? What do you want to do?” Liam whispered, his heart hammering in his chest.

Theo didnt say anything, just leaned in slowly, head tilted slightly to the side, pressing his lips to Liam’s in a gentle kiss. Liam gasped softly, his mouth opening slightly, and Theo pressed in further. A hand came up, running through Liam’s hair, pulling slightly at the braids that hung from his head.

When Theo pulled back, they were both panting slightly, and Theo’s hand was still tangled in Liam’s hair.

“Why...why didnt you say anything?” Liam asked softly, leaning his forehead against Theo’s.

“I didnt know if you were interested or not” Theo whispered back, his other arm coming up to wrap around Liam’s shoulders.

“So what changed?” Liam asked, circling his arms around Theo’s torso.

“This” Theo said, running his fingers through Liam’s hair. “You were gorgeous before, but now...you’re irresistible.”

Liam chuckled softly, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of Theo’s mouth.

“Well then, that’s good to hear” Liam said. “So, Theo. What are you doing tonight?”

Theo looked at him confused for a moment, before his eyes widened, a grin spreading across his face.

“Nothing...unless of course, you had something planned” Theo said, before pausing. “Uh...babe.”

Liam’s grin widened immeasurably further as he shook his head.

“Thats good, sweetheart. Cause i’d love to go out to dinner with you” Liam said, before leaning in for a kiss.

Theo happily accepted the kiss, the two of them lost in their own world, deaf to Jenna’s squeal of excitement when she found them embracing each other moments later.


End file.
